Just starting out with using LOTW and I can't figure out what this means. Does anyone know? This is a screen cap of a QSO record querry. There are some QSLs with ticks and others with tick boxes. I know they are related to the DXCC awards, but I can't understand why some are 'pre-ticked' and others are not.

the ones with the country beside them are confirmed the ones with out are not confirmed to only show confirmed qso you need to tick the box in the middle of the qso querie filter saying only show confirmed qso's.cheers

If I select display confirmed only QSOs, it still brings up QSLs with both ticked and unticked boxes. I know how to distinguish confirmed and unconfirmed QSOs, but I don't understand is the difference between the ticked and unticked QSLs.

Are the boxes unticked because they are duplicates of a DXCC entity already counted for each award listed in the RHS column? So in this example, G, YB and UR are counted in by other QSLs and hence unticked, but the XU, 9K and VU7 are the ones being counted, hence they are ticked.

I also have a question regarding LOTW: on the 'Awards' screen, where it shows my 'DXCC Account' I have a Total (All) and Total (Current) number, but the column 'DXCC Credits Awarded' (and 'LoTW QSLs in Progress') is all zeroes.

Do these only become 'active' when you actually apply for an award?

It would appear my QSO's to QSL (on LOTW) 'hit' rate is 44%. Maybe a bit less than I would have expected. How do others compare?

VK2GOM wrote:Do these only become 'active' when you actually apply for an award?

It would appear my QSO's to QSL (on LOTW) 'hit' rate is 44%. Maybe a bit less than I would have expected. How do others compare?

73 - Rob VK2GOM / GW0MOH

I guess so Rob. My LOTW hit rate seems to be around 18%. A bit dismal really. Contrast to eQSL which is about 30%, which make sense, given the amount of fapping about required to get LOTW going. Having said that, counting eQSL AG's only, that brings it down to 18%.

The whole QSO confirmation business has become rather messy - some use LOTW, others eQSL, some both, some none.Many stations do not use bureau and will only return cards sent to them with money to cover the return card. Not real keen on this

Then there is the log book software - with some uploading to e QSL, some to LOTW, some to both. All in all, quite an exercise to get contacts entered and confirmed.

I'm trying LOG4OM as the logging program and eQSL at present but as reported in previous posts, a good proportion of operators don't use this platform, so many unconfirmed contacts and from what I understand, even with authenticity guaranteed these contacts aren't accepted for ARRL awards ( correct me if I'm wrong)

I run Ham Radio Deluxe and use its logging program - this automatically updates my Eqsl logbook - I at the moment manually update the QRZ logbook how ever Ham Radio Deluxe is due to come out with auto logging to both qrz and LOTW. QRZ is also looking at auto entry to EQLS and LOTW I currently update LOTW on a monthly basis. Due to postal increases and the refusal of the local PO to accept or issue International reply coupons I now don't do direct QSO's instead relying totally on EQSL for exchange of cards

VK2VEL wrote:Just starting out with using LOTW and I can't figure out what this means. Does anyone know? This is a screen cap of a QSO record querry. There are some QSLs with ticks and others with tick boxes. I know they are related to the DXCC awards, but I can't understand why some are 'pre-ticked' and others are not.

Thanks.

lotw.jpg

Like you, I am not familiar with the workings of LOTW even tho I have been uploading my contacts for a few years. When I saw your post, and the attached image, I decided to go and have a look at my own account however, I could not find the same looking screen as you have shown. Would you mind telling me the steps to take to show that screen please.

When you go to the 'Your QSOs' tab check that the 'Awards Account' box is set to 'none'. When you are getting the black ticks it is checking the QSOs against an individual award that has been checked in the 'Awards Account' tab.

If it is set to 'none' you will not get the black ticks or the last 2 columns as shown in your screen shot.

I was using QRZ log book up until recently but with so few contacts being confirmed it led me to exploring other options.

I don't think QRZ contacts qualify for ARRL award

eQSL have the Authenticity Guaranteed system where users have provided evidence of their station identify - I think it is current valid license and license certificate

LOTW requires docs to be physically mailed and then encrypted keys issued - haven't gone to this extent yet but it is apparent that to cover more bases, you need both eQSL & LOTW operating.

Also noted many operators have their fill of QSL cards/ award chasing and just don't bother.

The arrival of a rare QSL card from an exotic place was much anticipated in the past and part of enjoyment of the hobby for a DXer - and especially new operators. People still post up "look what came in the mail" pics so there are still those keenly collecting cards. I think I will post of a card to St Helena Island for a recent contact I had then look forward to a return card some months from now. In the mean time, need to get LOTW organised.

I'm what you would call and active dx'er. I dont use qrz log. I cant see the point really

i use eqsl. this is a good system the wia awards commitee accepts these if Ag guaranteed so worth persuing.

i use Lotw. Lotw is a great way to confirm qso's as many use it you need to send a copy of your license to the arrl and you need to send it by mail.. the WIA accept these as well. awards from the ARRL using LoTW can be quite costly as its 50 cents per confirmation etc to use your qso's on Lotw. its this reason and i longer persue arrl awards and only the WIA ones even then I'm not as enthusiastic as before with 220+ confirmed 249 worked. my next application will probably be around 250 dxcc confrimed and cw dxcc and digi dxcc.

I use cards i chase card one per dxcc entity then i have a record and a nice photo. i enjoy the exchange of cards and have recieved some very nice ones from enthusiastic hams.

I became dissillusioned with the chasing awards and competion for a while. I worked 220 dxcc last year a big effort with 100 wattsand i found the advantages the other parts of the world have over us mean we could never really compete HIgher power limits closer to many dxcc. dxpedtions pointing to them etc. then i realised i have 20 more years in this game what fun would it be if i worked most of them this cycle whats to look forward to. so i a take a more relaxed attitude now. and i'm much happier for it.

good luck with the chase if there are any other question i am happy to helpcheersstevevk3meg

As cycle declines people do their bucket lists and look for old qsos and qslsI stand by my decision to geta sore bum 5 summers back and type in 100000 contacts or so from 48 log booksA the list goes on day after day contacts from decades ago qualify folks.

seeing as this thread has risen from the dead i thought i would put my perspective as an hf dx'er.sitting on 260 worked 250 confirmed 4 band dxcc i use eqsl and Lotw also cards. you wil find alot of the big gun hf stations in eu dont qsl or want money these guys have big antenna's and setup's and are quite often the only ones who hear people with a wire at 6m and 100watts calling from vk. i dont blame them. They are active and prefer chatting than writing qsl's as they probably dont need you confirmation now i have a large number sample of qso's upload to eqsl and lotw lotw wins @ 25-27% confirmations from 8800 qso's it seems to be the most popular. eqsl is also good as the wia awards section recognises this. some people charge for cards especially dxpeditions where lots of money is spent. the buro is an unreliable option more of a hope and pray although you can use a buro option with a lot of the dxpedition but it takes over one year.so the moral is if you want confirmation Lotw or eqsl is cheap but be prepared to pay for rarer stuff.cheers

I realised very quickly when I started actively DXing several years ago the advantage of electronic logbook and electronic QSL systems.

A paper logbook of course can be managed, as it was from the beginning, but an electronic logbook will at the very least make tallying your award totals and keeping track of your worked and confirmed entities.

My experience with QSLing in current times has me favouring Logbook of the World over all other systems, these being eQSL and paper cards. For a start, LotW is a bit of a process to get going, but applying for awards is much easier and cheaper (than paper cards). eQSL is pretty neat too, but I have found that fewer DXers use this system, although it will generate a QSL card image if you want. Paper cards are now a last resort for me. The costs of postage to and from the DX, and then the further process of having the cards checked against your application form, make it less and less attractive. So now, I generally only send for a paper QSL card if I can't get electronic confirmation. Some operators, for their own reasons, simply refuse to go electronic - and detail all their reasons on a website or via email!

My weekly procedure is to upload my week's DX logged in Ham Radio Deluxe Logbook to LotW, eQSL, QRZ.com, and to check for any new electronic confirmations on LotW. This way, my logbook is backed up offsite. I also have HRD upload each QSO logged to HRDlog.net.

I suppose by now the OP question is now well and truly addressed, so I won't go there.

My next task is to address the embarrassingly large pile of Bureau cards I still need to answer. I have sent out about a thousand paper cards, and have none left. I think I will use Global QSL for that. That system receives electronic files with QSO information, prints paper cards (of your design or theirs) and sends them out to QSL Bureaux around the world, for what I think is quite a reasonable fee.